Several weeks ago, most dental offices temporarily suspended normal operations in order to cooperate with recommendations from the American Dental Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Now, though, many practices are reopening — but they are being no less cautious when it comes to doing their part in fighting the spread of COVID-19. In this blog post, we’ll discuss the strict dental safety protocol in Marshall that your dentist is putting into action to help protect you, their team members, and the community at large.
How Are You Feeling?
It has always been standard practice for your dentist in Marshall, TX or a member of their team to ask about your health at each visit. Before the outbreak of COVID-19, this simple and quick question was used to help your dentist assess whether your medical conditions or medications might be having an impact on your oral health.
Now, however, asking about your health is more important than ever, and your dentist might ask for extra details on how you have been feeling lately. For example, they may ask if you have recently experienced a fever, coughing, or shortness of breath. Such symptoms are indicative of COVID-19 and should be taken seriously. If you are experiencing any of them at your appointment, or you have experienced them within the last couple of weeks, your dentist is likely to encourage you to reschedule your dental treatment for a few weeks down the road. They may also urge you to contact your general physician and temporarily quarantine yourself.
The Highest Level of Safety
Checking on your health is just one way in which your dentist is helping to protect the community from the spread of COVID-19. Additional measures that they may be taking include:
- Asking patients to wear a face covering when they are not in the operatory and receiving treatment
- Providing extra personal protective equipment for all dental team members
- Limiting the number of patients allowed in the office at any given time
- Making schedule adjustments to allow for extra time to clean the operatories between each patient
- Rearranging the waiting room to promote social distancing
- Avoiding all unnecessary physical contact, such as handshakes and hugs
- And more!
If you are curious about the specific steps that your local dental team is taking to combat COVID-19, don’t hesitate to give them a call. They will be happy to address all of your questions and concerns so you can go to your next appointment with total confidence.
About the Author
Dr. Charles A. Parker earned his dental degree from the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. He has been in practice for almost 40 years. Throughout his long career, his patients’ health and safety have always been a primary concern for him, and that is truer than ever during this time of COVID-19. To learn more about how our team is keeping patients and the community safe during this pandemic, contact us at 903-935-6351.